Sound recording and reproducing machine.



No. 634,944. Patented Oct. l7, I899.

E. R. JOHNSON.

SOUND RECORDING AND BEPRODUOING MACHINE.

(Application filed Jan. 3, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets8heet Inveraior,

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No. 634,944. Patented Oct. l7, I899. E. R. JOHNSON.

SOUND RECORDING AND REPBODUCING MACHINE.

(Application filed Jan. 3, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

(No Model.)

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llivrrnn STATES ELDRIDGE R. JOHNSON, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SOUND RECORDING AND REPRODUCING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 634,944, dated October 1'7, 1899.

Application filed January 3, 1899. Serial No. 701,083. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELDRIDGE R. JoHNsoN, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Philadelphia, State of Pennsyl- Vania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Sound Recording and Reproducing Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact'description thereof, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in sound recording and reproducing machines,and particularly to machines where in a flat record-disk is employed.

The object of my said invention is to provide an improved means for supporting the record-disk so as to render it capable of a yielding movement in one direction in order that it may be kept normally in contact with the stylus of a reproducer which is supported rigidly against verticalmovement, and at the same time the disk is adapted to yield to accommodate any unevenness that might occur in the said record-disk; also, in providing means for tilting the said record-disk, so as to remove it from contact with the stylus of the reproducer and admit of the reproducing mechanism being removed in a lateral direction from the path of the record when it is desired to remove the said record and substitute a new one; also, in providing means for holding and locking the record in its tilted position.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved supporting means for the reproducer whereby it is held rigid against vertical movement, but capable of a lateral or swinging movement, so that the stylus can follow and be propelled by the grooves of the record when it is in contact with the same; also, to provide means for positively swinging the reprod ucer to one side and out of the path of the record as soon as the said record is removed from contact with the stylus.

Another object of my invention is to simplify and cheapen the construction of machines of this character and'at the same time increase the efficiency of the working parts.

These and other objects and features will be readily understood from the construction herci nafter described.

In sound recording and reproducing ma-v chines of the well-known types numerous objectionable features exist in construction which my present invention is' designed to remedy. Among others, particularly in machines Where the reproducer is loosely mounted and free to be raised vertically from the face of the record, the reproducer is liable to be accidentally dropped when in a raised position, causing the stylus to'strike against the record or its supporting-table and to break or badly damage both the stylus-point and the diaphragm of the reproducing mechanism. My invention of a reproducer mounted rigidly against vertical movement and having means for positively moving the reproducer out of the path of the record, in combination with means for tilting that side of the record which bears against the stylus, obviates such difficulties and renders such liability to damage the parts impossible even when the machine is operated by the most inexperienced hands.

My invention consists in the construction such as herein described and particularly pointed out in the claims made hereto.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which similar letters of reference are used to indicate similar parts, Figure 1 is a side elevation of agramophoneembodyingmyinvention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the. same. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, the reproducer being shown in full lines. Fig. 4 is a detail plan View of the pivoted rocking arm in which the record-spindle is mounted. Fig. 5 is a detail section through the same, taken about on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the cam mechanism used for tilting the record and holding the same in its tilting position, the tilted po sition being shown in dotted lines.

In carrying out my invention I provide an outer box or casing A, mounted on a suitable supporting-base and having located therein a spring-motor B, which may be of any of the well-known constructions now employed in ICO The spindle O is loosely mounted in a sleeve or socket E, formed on the rocker-arm E, which is pivoted at e to the frame I) of the motor, as will be hereinafter described. A pinion fis rigidly secured on the spindle C,

which meshes with a pinion f, secured on the shaft F, which is suitably geared to the propelling mechanism of the motor and by means of which the record-spindle O is revolved.

The rocker-arm E has formed on its inner end a yoke E having a flange 6 carrying the trunnions 0, located diametrically opposite each other and adapted to be supported in the brackets 6 which are secured to the upper frame I) of the motor. Formed on the lower side of the yoke E is the depending sleeve E, which supports the driving-spindle O, as before described. The outer end of the arm E extends through an opening provided in the casing A and rests in the bottom of a slot 9, provided in a plate G, secured on the outside of the casing A. A spring g fastened at one end to the arm E and at its other end to the inner side of the casing A, holds the arm E and the shaft O in normal position. The turn-table O and record Dare thus normally held in a substantially horizontal plane. On the plate G is pivoted at g a cam-lever G, having formed thereon a cam-face G and a projecting lug 9 When it is desired to tilt the turn-table and its record-disk, the lever Gr is thrown back to the position illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 6 of the drawings and its cam-face G raises the arm E, its lug 9 coming in contact with the arm E, serving as a stop to limit the downward movement of the said lever. This movement tilts the side of the record-disk diametrically opposite this end of the rockerarm E and moves said record out of contact with the stylus of the reproducing mechanism, and at the same moment that the record moves away from contact with the stylus the supporting-arm of the reproducer swings outwardly by a positive movement, as will presently be described, until it is entirely out of the path of the record-disk, and the said record can then be readily removed.

The reproducing mechanism and its support are clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, and referring thereto L represents the sound-box, which carries the diaphragm and which may be of the usual construction. The stylusl is suitably secured in the stylusbar, which forms a part of the sound-box. To the tubular end of the soundboX is fastened, by means of an elbow or otherwise, the trumpet L.

M designates the supporting-arm for the reproducer,which is secured to its inner end in any suitable manner. The outer end of the arm M is pivotally mounted in the arm N of a bracket N by means of the pivot-screws n or in any other suitable manner, the object being to mount this arm M so as to be capable of lateral movement, but rigid against vertical movement. The bracket N may be of any desirable form and is secured to the outer casing A by means of screws or otherwise. An arm 0 extends from one side of the arm M for supporting the trumpet, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. On one side of the supporting-arm M is a spring m, secured at one end to the bracket-arm N and having its other end bear against the side of said arm M, the purpose of which is'to swing the said arm outwardly and away from the record-disk as soon as the same is moved out of contact with the stylus. A lug n is provided on the other side of the arm M, which will strike against the bracket-arm N and limit the movement of the said arm in its out ward swing.

On the upper edge of thecasing A is a piece of felt or other similar material, which is located on the side of the casing opposite the rocker-arm E and against which the turn-table bears when the same is tilted by the mech anism heretofore described.

In operation the record-disk is secured on its supporting-table while in a tilted position, and the reproducer and its carrying-arm are adjusted so that the stylus is directly over the beginning of the record-grooves, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The cam-lever G is then thrown up to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 6 of the drawings, and the rocker-arm E is pulled down to the position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings under the action of the spring 9 This movement throws the turn-table O and record-disk 0 back to normal position and causes the grooves of the said record to come in contact with the stylus of the reproducer, the spring 9 tending to keep the rocker-arm down and the opposite side of the record-disk up against the stylus at all times, while at the same time the said record-disk is capable of a yielding movement, so as to accommodate any irregularities or unevenness that might'occurin the record-disk, while the pivoted support of the reproducer admits the stylus to move laterally in following and being carried by the grooves. When the reproduction has been completed, the lever G is thrown down and the pivoted rockerarm E thrown up, which tilts the record D and removes it from contact with the stylus of the reproducer, While at the same time the spring on throws the pivoted supporting-arm M outwardly and away from the path of the record-disk. The record-disk can then be easily and readily removed and a new record substituted.

Various slight changes might be made in my invention as described without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Hence I do not desire to limit myself to the exact construction shown in the drawings and de scribed herein.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patout, is-

1. In asound recording and reproducing ma- 634,944. I I e chine, a reproducer rigidly supported against vertical movement, a revoluble driving-spindle, a record-disk secured on said drivingspindle, a pivoted rocking arm, in which the driving-spindle is journaled and means for holding the free end of the rocking arm so as to keep therecord-disk in contact with the stylus of the reproducing mechanism, substantially as described.

2. In asound recordingand reproducing machine, the combination of a laterally-movable reproducer rigidly secured against movement toward or from the face of the record, a revoluble record-disk mounted so as to yield in one direction,means for keeping the grooves of the record-disk in yielding contact with the stylus of the reproducing mechanism and means for tilting the record-disk so as to free it from contact with the said stylus, substantially as described.

3. In asound recording and reproducing ma chine, the combination of a laterally-movable reproducer rigidlysecured against verti cal movement, a revoluble pivoted recorddisk adapted to yield in the direction of its point of contact with the reproducing-stylus, means for holding the grooves of the said record normally in contact with the styluspoint and means for positively tilting the record so as to remove it from contact with the stylus-point, substantially as described and for the purpose stated.

4;. In a sound recording and reproducing ma chine, the combination of a reproducer mount ed rigidly against vertical movement but capable of lateral movement, a revoluble driving-spindle, a record-disk secured on said driving-spindle, arocking arm pivoted to the frame of themachine, and in which the driving-spindle is journaled, and a spring secured to the free end of said arm for normally holding it down and keeping the record-disk'in contact with the stylus of the reproducing mechanism, substantially as described.

5. In a sound recording and reproducing machine, the combination of a laterally-movable reproducer secured against vertical movementa revoluble driving-spindle adapted to carry a record-disk, a rocker-arm pivoted at one end to the frame of the machine and in which the drivingspindle is journaled, a spring for holding the free end of the rocking arm normally down and keeping the record-disk in contact with stylus of the reproducer, and a cam-lever pivoted to the casing of the machine adapted to bear against the free end of the rocking arm for raising the same and tilting the record-disk, substantially as described.

The combination with a laterally-movable reproducer secured against vertical movement, of a rocker-arm, E, having a depending sleeve or socket, E, trunnions, e, by means of which said rocker-arm is pivotally mounted to the frame of the machine, a revoluble driving spindle adapted to the socket, E", a turn-table secured on said driv ing-spindle, a record-disk carried by the said turn-table, a spring, 9 secured to the under side of the free end of the arm, E, and to the casing of the machine, and a cam-lever, G,

adapted to engage the free end of the arm record-grooves, and means for keeping the grooves of the record in contact with the stylus of the reproducing mechanism, substantially as described.

8. In a sound recording and reproducing machine, the combination with a revoluble yielding record-disk of a reproducer located above the same, a stylus carried by the said reproducer adapted to engage the grooves of the record-disk, a laterally-swinging arm for supporting the reproducing mechanism held rigid against vertical movement, and means for automatically moving said arm out of the path of the record as soon as the said record is removed from contact with the stylus of the reproducer, substantially as described.

9. The combination of a yielding revoluble record-disk, a reproducer located above the same, a stylus carried by the reproducer adapted to engage the grooves of the recorddisk, a supporting-arm for the reproducing mechanism pivoted in a bracket carried by the frame of the machine, said arm being capa ble of a lateral movement but rigid against vertical movement, means for tilting the record so as to remove it from contact with the reproducer and means for positively swinging the reproducer and its supporting-arm out of the path of the record-disk as soon as the record is removed from contact with the styluspoint of the reproducing mechanism, substantially as described.

10. The combination of a yielding revoluble record-disk, a reproducer located above the same, an arm, M, for supporting the reproducing mechanism, a bracket, N, carried by the frame of the machine in which the arm M, is pivoted so as to be capable of moving laterally but rigid against vertical movement a spring, on, adapted to bear against the inner side of the arm, M, for swinging it out of the path of the record when the said record is moved from contact with the stylus of the reproducer and a lug, 'n, for limiting the outward swing of the arm, M, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this th day of December, A. D. 1898.

ELDRIDGE R. JOHNSON.

IVitnesses:

BENJ. F. PERKINS, HORACE Pnrrrr. 

